Eve Bunting made a career out of writing about topics few in the picture book world would even consider. The Wall is another offering from the land of taboo topics. This time it’s the Vietnam Memorial, which means that war and death are on the docket.
In Buntings story a father and son are visiting the wall to see Dad/Grandpa’s name. This is a children’s book, so she guides us through these topics gently. But the pain and loss are real, real enough for me to think over whether or not I would get an angry parent phone call for reading about death in school.
In the end I chose to read it. Those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice deserve to be honored, and Bunting masterfully delivered this book with reverence fitting the fallen.
Read Aloud Picture Books 